Peach State Speedway is gearing up for one of its biggest shows of the year, as the Georgia Asphalt Series returns to the high banked Jefferson track Thursday for the longest event of its season, the Toyota Tundra Independence 125.

With the race being held on a Thursday night, odds are that many Pro Late Model pilots from around the region will travel to Jefferson to kick off the holiday racing weekend.

2007 GAS Series champ Russell Fleeman is expected to race. After a rough outing a few weeks ago at Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Fleeman has found his points lead shaved to nine points over Ryan Seig. Sieg, of Decatur, picked up his first career GAS win on June 14 at Senoia.

Commerce ace Taylor Satterfield is also expected to race Thursday, along with Jefferson’s Joey Senter and Braselton’s Jimmy Garmon.

Also expected in the field Thursday night will be two young drivers who are learning the ropes on the GAS series.

Sixteen-year old Kyle Fowler hails from Smyrna. He started his career at the age of 4 behind the wheel of a Quarter Midget, eventually moving up to Bandoleros and Legends cars throughout the south. After a successful Legends season in 2006, Fowler moved up to Pro Late Models last year, taking home the GAS Rookie of the Year title.

Fowler said it feels good to get back to Peach State.

“We were over at another series for a while, and I’m glad to be getting back over here,” he said. “That other one didn’t have nearly the experienced drivers that the GAS series does. It’s great to be coming back here and getting back on this big half mile.”

Fowler returns to Jefferson off of a tenth place finish at Dillon Motor Speedway in South Carolina.

Following in Fowler’s rookie tire tracks is 18-year old T.J. Reaid, the current leader in the GAS rookie points standings.

Leading GAS rookie T.J. Reaid.

Reaid also started his career in Quarter Midgets before moving up to Legends competition. Reaid’s family operation took a big step up this year, moving to the GAS series to race Pro Late Models.

Reaid said the veterans of the series do a lot to try to help the younger drivers learn the ropes.

“They’re good guys to race with. They’ll race you really clean. Overall, they’re good guys that we race with. Every time I get out there on the track with them, I learn something new. They teach me something new, and I can capitalize on that every week.”

Reaid says that help extends off of the track too.

“You can go to them, and they’ll answer any question you want,” he said. “I feel I can walk around the pits and talk to any guy in here, and they’ll give me advice on how to make my career better, and be better on the track also.”

One thing that both Fowler and Reaid agree on is the challenge of racing on Peach State’s high banks.

“Peach State is a really fast race track,” Fowler said. “We have two grooves here, and always see a lot of side by side racing.”
Reaid echoed that sentiment.

“This track is real tough,” he said. “It’s a multi-groove race track, and there’s racing all over it.”

In addition to the GAS Series event, all the local classes will compete as well, including Outlaw Late Models, Toyota Tundra Super Trucks and the Mini-Stocks.

A huge fireworks display is also scheduled to follow the racing action.

Racing is scheduled to get underway at 7:30 p.m., with GAS qualifying set for 6 p.m.

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